Support Services Group, Inc., Waco, Texas, United States: SSG Training Team Doubles Headcount, Triples Sites

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The [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] Training team’s partnership [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] began in the summer of 2022 when the team launched their customer service operations in Waco, Texas. With no prior staff dedicated [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION], SSG quickly built a high-performing team of 150 Customer Service Agents (CSAs) within three months. This impressive feat, achieved with an 88% graduation rate and strong performance across key metrics, earned the team's [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] trust and led to an exciting expansion. 

In 2023, [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] doubled down on [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] partnership with SSG, increasing headcount to over 300 FTEs and entrusting the team with expanding operations to two additional nearshore sites in Costa Rica and Mexico. The team rose to the challenge, successfully training and graduating over 300 new agents across all three locations within three months while maintaining an impressive 89% graduation rate. This expansion went beyond agent training, encompassing the development of Team Leads, Operations Managers, Trainers, and Quality Assurance Representatives (QARs) for all three sites. 

This rapid growth and consistent strong performance solidified SSG’s partnership [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION], showcasing the company’s talent for building and scaling high-caliber customer service teams. 

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The team’s most significant achievement was the 2023 ramp and expansion into Latin America. As stated above, the account increased from one to three locations, with the original headcount doubling from the previous year. The [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] Training Team trained not only all 300+ agents, but also a dozen support staff in QA, Training, and Operational roles. This had many challenges, and the training team was instrumental in making it a success. Some of the challenges that the team overcame include the following:  

• Organizing and facilitating several train-the-trainer sessions and teach-backs over multiple countries/time zones shortly before summer ramp-up.  

• Organizing the logistics of sending a veteran North American Trainer to Costa Rica and Mexico to support their initial classes.  

• Creating and implementing a “tech day orientation” to ensure all new hires were adequately equipped to start training.  

• Collaborating with Recruitment, IT, and HR to ensure the team hit recruiting timelines with quality talent fit for the position.  

• Creating open lines of communication with the [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] client, ensuring a feedback loop was in place for process improvements. 

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An achievement unique to the [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] project was successfully addressing the client’s need for the team to hold hybrid training classes with agents both on-site and working remotely, all coming together in one training class. These types of hybrid trainings are challenging because it is easy for remote workers to feel left out and for on-site trainees to feel as if the remote workers are slowing down their training. The training team developed several tactics to meet this challenge head-on, such as on-site/off-site mentor programs, where remote workers would be paired with on-site workers to build team cohesion and participation among the entire class.   

Another unique challenge of the 2023 LATAM expansion was that this was the first time that [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] would use agents who did not speak English as their first language. The team overcame this challenge and put [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] mind at ease by creating a proprietary English Language Learning course and enrolling all LATAM agents before they started training.  

Finally, a unique challenge for this team was that [REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION] had never worked with a BPO partner before, SSG being their first. Naturally, they were hesitant to give complete control over the training and management of the teams. This was overcome by the team simply proving themselves by having the client’s team attend local classes, join the local team on teach-backs, and, most obviously, produce solid, goal-driven advocates who consistently hit their KPIs.

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